Weronika obtained a master’s degree in the area of social prevention and resocialisation at the University of Warsaw. She also completed undergraduate studies in school education and social work at the Christian Academy of Theology. She has experience in working with children and with the mentally disabled. She has worked as Helpline.org.pl consultant in Nobody's Children Foundation for 2 years. She also runs trainings for professionals (teachers, educators, school psychologists, social workers, police officers, prosecutors) in the area of children and young people’s safety on the internet.

29 September, Wednesday, 14.30 – 16.30

Parallel session: Sesion for law enforcement

Helpline.org.pl is a project which helps the youngest internet users whose safety is threatened while using new technologies. One of the threats reported to our team is internet grooming committed by adult abusers. Until now we have received around 400 reports constituting suspected child welfare threats arising from relationships initiated with adults on the Internet. The legal changes that came to force on 8 June 2010 and accompanying public campaigns frame a new direction in fighting these threats. Still, internet child grooming is in most cases a process that is complex and difficult to diagnose. It does not always end in a contact with the victim in reality, but in all cases it results in deep harm done to the young person. The aim of the presentation is to analyse this process on the basis of some examples of reports which Helpline.org.pl deals with.